Non-profit wildflower company, Seedball, continues to report a surge in wildflower seed orders following a boost in popularity.
The surge in wildflower seed sales has been brought about following the coronavirus pandemic, as Brits spent more time at home and in the garden, embracing nature.
This increase in demand, together with a poor harvest last autumn, has contributed to a nationwide shortage in supply across the UK.
‘Unfortunately, the harvest did not produce enough seeds to meet the demand, following the unusually hot spring in 2020.
‘With increasingly variable and extreme weather patterns being recorded, and dire climate change reports, there may be further seed shortages on the horizon.
‘The impacts of rising temperatures on wildflower growth reinforces the urgency for all of us to push climate change much higher up on the agenda.
‘This calls for urgent action, looking at environmental issues on the whole.’
DR EMILY ATTLEE
Seedball co-founder & director
In addition to the demand for home gardening among consumers, many large landscaping projects that require seeds have restarted after being delayed during the pandemic.
This industrial demand has put a strain on seed resources for companies like Seedball.
‘We’re of course delighted to see the demand for wildflower seeds skyrocket, as this means that more people are growing these massively important plants in their gardens, but the seed shortage highlights a wider issue that needs addressing.’
DR EMILY ATTLEE
Seedball co-founder & director
Seedball had the foresight to prepare for the looming seed shortage so sales have been unaffected, but the industry as a whole has suffered from the combined impact of coronavirus and climate change.
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